Support structure for stockings



B. VBINKOWITZ 2,638,502

May 19, 1953 SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR STOCKINGS Filed Aug. 5, 1950 ZISheetS-Sheet 1 3 l6 MHl g m O O D /7 F|G.4

' IN VEN TOR. BARNETT BIA/KG W/TZ ATTORNEY May 19, 1.953" 5. BINKOWI i' Z 2,638,602

' .ISUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR STOCKINGS Filed Aug. 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

' IN VEN TOR. BARNETT B/NKOW/TZ Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improved means for supporting stockings, particularly women's stockmgs.

One present manner of supporting womens stockings, which is commonly used, involves the use of a girdle or garter belt from which a plurality of elastic straps depend, these straps being provided at their lower ends with means for their attachment to the stockings. As a result, the stockings are pulled upwardly within the vicinity of the points at which the supporting straps are attached, and sag intermediate the areas of upward pull. Since the upward pull on each stocking is not distributed evenly around the entire circumference of the top of the stocking and instead is concentrated at several discrete areas, great strain must be exerted on these areas in order to hold up the stocking, and this results in a tendency toward runs. Other difiiculties also arise, including a tendency of the supporting straps to break or tear away at their points of connection to the girdle or garter belt.

It being generally recognized that the mere use of a garter is not sufficient to hold up a woman's stocking properly, a number of alternatives to the above system of support have been proposed. For example, it has been proposed to make the upper portion of the stocking of an elastic, but this construction is basically open to the same objections as the first-mentioned construction. Even if the upper portion be only circumferentially elastic and not vertically elastic, it is still a band of fabric and subject to upward lift at the points of support and to sag intermediate said points.

While this construction is said to permit the permanent fastening to the elastic fabric of buttons to which the lower ends of the supporting straps may be affixed, there is then no provision for adjusting of the position of the buttons to meet the convenience of the wearer.

It has been further proposed to secure permanently in the upper portion of the stocking a band of canvas or other strong fabric. This fabric is still subject to tension which is substantially localized at the points of support.

My invention makes use of a principle of suspension, rather than of upward pullon points of the stocking. I provide an insert band which may be removably inserted in the hem in the upper portion of the stocking and which is made of a material, such as a vinylite plastic, which is bendablearound any transverse axis, but which is substantially incompressible and non-stretchable. When this band is inserted in the stocking, the band acts like a hoop and rises as a unit when upward force is exerted at two or more circumferentially spaced points on the band. As a result, the upper portion of the stocking is supported as a unit and has no areas of sag. This enhances the appearance of the stocking, makes it possible to support it under less tension than has been possible with the use of prior constructions and reduces the possibility of runs.

I provide the insert band with a plurality of holes in which buttons to receive the supporting straps may be removably inserted in positions to suit the convenience of the individual wearer.

I optionally provide means for reducing the sag of the girdle or garter belt at the points of attachment of the supporting straps. I have therefore done away with the old principle of stocking support, in which the stocking and girdle tend to be anchored in place and linked by two or more elastic straps which pull on the stocking and girdle primarily at the points of attachment. It is to be further noted that with this system, the girdle and stocking tend to move to new places of anchorage when the wearer sits down and frequently have to be adjusted when the wearer returns to a standing position.

Since in my improved system the stocking,

with its hoop-like supporting band, is more responsive to an upward tension, the stocking tends readily to move automatically to the proper position when the wearer moves from asitting to a standing position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention.

will become apparent from the following description and the annexed drawings, in which preferred embodiments are disclosed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a womans stocking, with the lower part of the stocking shown broken away, showing my improved insert band B partly inserted within the upper hem of the stocking.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing band B completely inserted in place and showing girdle support straps connected to the band, the upper portions of these bands being shown broken away. I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of band B, said band B being shown broken away.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a strengthening member which may be connected to a girdle.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation, broken away, show-;

ing said strengtheningmember attached to a 3 girdle and a holding strap depending from the strengthening member.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View, broken away, showing stockings and girdles on a wearer and my improved means for holding up the stockings.

Upon reference to the drawings in detail, it is seen that I have illustrated my invention used in conjunction with a conventional girdle G and with stockings S. It is to be understood that instead of girdle G,-n1y invention be used with a garter belt, corset or other article of apparel from which supporting straps depend for connection to stockings,

It is apparent from l'-3 that stocking S is of a kind commonly in use at the present time, which has a leg portion it which extends above the knee of the wearer. The-lowerpart of. this leg portion it is shown broken awa in all the views, the omitted parts being oonventional and therefore not shown.

Theiupper part of stocking-;.3.:is folded'inward.---

As is further: shown in the drawings; conven-- tional le'g's'earn l extends longitudinally alongleg 'p'or-tion' iii? Seam ti attends along the-en Ass-clearly shown'in Figs. land 2, seam" M interrupted-for a considerable-distance just above stitch line M. to forrn an opening Win the out side hem part of l'eg portion i i; and'thisopening 15 serves as am'eans 'ofeccesstowpocket P.

My'invention'eonsists in=improv cl meansior supporting stocking I have found it convenientto embody my invention? in the. form of an insert band B, which. is-ishown in flattened f'orm in Fig.4.

and-commonly used stockings; becausev band B be'rernovably inserted in pocket 3?- through opening; l However, as will become-ciear, my

invention is not limited to use with stocking S and may be used in conjunctionwithany stock: ingparticularly any stocking havingfla leg portionwhich extends-abovethe lzneeof .the wearer.

Prior to assemblyasshown inFig. 4,,band B- is a flat, relatively thin strip. of material with.

substantially parallel upper and lower edges it and W. This band B is quite flexihlabut the material or which band B reformed is relatively, incompressible and non-stretchable. Gneen-ziofband lit is provided with aoonnectmg' strap it" which is secured to said'ban-d B by any suitable means. The other end of B is provided with suitable means towhich the free end of the strap 18 may be connected in order to close the band; As illustrated in the drawingawthe fastening means may comprise a inaleflsnap member E9, which is secured near the end of band and female snap member ii -which is-se'curezi to t-he free enddr strap it" and: which is? adapted to be releasably' interengaged with memben it; How? (32 length ofileg'portion ill and'extend's above-stitch line Mto' fold linel In. forming-'seam i i, inner lie-m element is is. not stitehed'to leg portion it, except at stitch line i l;

This bancli B" is! adapted to' be used in conjunction with the'iahove desoribed.

faceor the upper part inserted into. said: stockings S:

ever, any other suitable fastening means may be provided instead of members 19 and 2B.

Optionally and preferably, connecting strap is is made of a flexible and stretchable material of a conventional type, so that band B will fit sufiicientiy tightly around legs of varying dianr eter. However, connecting strap 28 may also be made of non-stretchable material.

Band B is preferably provided with a plurality of holes-.Zi 'whichmay be positioned-lat various points along the length and width ofband B. These holes 2! serve a ventilating purpose, and they also serve as means whereby girdle garter s-trapsrmaybeconnected to band 13. Holes 21 are preferably respectively round.

' Prior'toiim'ertion of band B in pocket P, band B is provided-witha plurality of buttons 22. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, each button 22 comprisesiaishank 23 which has a button head 24- attached to one end thereof and a base member 25 attaehedto the-other endthereof. Thisbutton 22 is pi-iona-lly and preferablymade irnone. piece; and may be made or" hare rubber with a slight amount ofresiliency. -Button headliitis small enough so that-it maybe readily inserted through a selected hole 25; while base-member. 25-is1too.- large to pass through-saidhole.21-. This base member 25.-: referablyhas a. substantiallyplanarface which is adapted to-abutsband After a plurality 1 buttons 2'2 have been. inserted. in selected-holes of bandlB; fora purpose to be explained below; band Brmay be" inserted. in pocket P. Whileeither. endof band Brrmay be inserted through opening I 5 preferably" thesend adjacent fastener member: i9 is: firste-insertedi. Fig. 1 shows. band partially inserted 1 in :.pocket R. t-willbe noted-that the. widthof. band B. is sufi 'ently less than-thewidth of opening, I5-to provide: for .easein-inserting "band B.

After bandB has been completelyinserteddnpocket fastener members: is and. Zalhmay be inter-engaged; as'shovm inil ig. 24-. BandiBma-y then.- be adjusted; to any; desired; position-within pooketlP, and-itis-=preferredthatband B be ad justed so'that-its :edge- I G isadjacentfold-line I2; While handle isrshown in Fig; .Z-Withrseami I 4 ex'--- tending; across strap: 58; it is: possible to.- adjust; band B-circumferentiallyr with respect to .stocking S toanydesirednotation; Buttons 2 2zhave. beenxinserted insuch a:wa-y"thatzheadssfl extendr outwardly 'aga-inststoching legt ortiont Hi;

After: band B has-be'en 'adjusted tothe desired position within pocket 1 for each. stockings of: the pairito-be worn; the-legs of the wearer maybe As is clearly shown: inithecdrawings', girdlev G is provided witha a plurality of: depending supporting" straps 215'.- Each said strap-2 E is substantially conventional; being longitudinally elastic and being'adjustable in length by means "of keeper'ifia; Each. strap 22? has a femalec'laspingunember ZTconvntiohally secured to the free end thereofibut theconventional button and the.sup-porting straptherefor are omitted; because. buttons 2-2. are instead: affixed to bandit Girdle G is p-rovided with-twoor more-support ing straps.-

for suppertin'ga'each stocking S. Three: such straps flii 'areshown marge used for supporting onerstookingS; this numbenbeing: chosen: solely for illustrative". purposes: 4 Buttons 22 haverbeensplaced onleachibeand B; in-the manner previously described} in: such numberand in suoln ositionathat the female fastening members 2 l." which are: connectedi to 1 bands 26* may he respectively interengaged with respective button heads 24.

Buttons 22 are preferablyso distributed circumferentially around band B that the straps 26 which are secured to the respective buttons 22 are substantially vertical upon the wearer, or in any other desired position relative to the wearer. Buttons 22 may have varying vertical positions, as shown in Fig. 2., which, in conjunction with the varying lengths of straps 26, makes it possible to maintain stocking S in a desired normal position upon the wearer.

Under tension, the assembly'lo oks substantially as shown in Fig. 3, with each shank 23' positioned adjacent the upper part of its associated hole 2!, with member 21 positioned between button head 24 and band B,v and with stocking leg portion I0 extending against band B, between member 21 and shank 23, around button head 24 and up to fold line I2. 'Preferably, shank 23 is of such ,a length that the assembly of band B, stocking S, button 22 and fastening member 21 is fairly rigid to prevent buckling or relative movement of the various above listed components.

The above construction utilizes a principle of stocking support somewhat different from that presently in common use. In the present commonly used construction, each strap 26 carries a subsidiary strap which holds a button which is adapted to inter-engage with fastening member 21, with the stocking fabric placed between said button and said member 21. As a result, stocking S is raised in the. vicinity of the points at whichthe supporting straps are affixed thereto, and at other points stocking S'sags.

' Similarly, in the present commonly used construction, girdle G is pulled downwardly at the points at which the supporting straps are attached, and girdle G tends to rise at other points. Girdle G, stocking Sand supporting straps 26 are a. system in which stocking Sispulled upwardly primarily by means of forces exerted along straps 26, and girdle G is pulled downwardly in part by means of forces exerted along straps 26, and in part by means of other forces. Because the forces exerted by each strap 25 are not properly distributed and are applied to stocking S and girdle G substantially only at the respective points of connection thereto, each strap 26 must be able to furnish great tension, and its elasticity must be kept within reasonable limits. When the wearer sits down, girdle G generally rises considerably, and stocking S also tends to fall. As a result, strap 25 is elongated and placed under great strain. Frequently, girdle G tears at a point at which a strap 26 is attached there- When the wearer returns toa standing position, the tension exerted along strap 25 to girdle G and stocking S, to make girdle G fall and stocking S rise, is inefliciently transferred, as described above; and as a result, girdle G and stocking S tend to remain in improper positions.

In my present invention, I have at least relieved some of the above-described difficulties in the old system of stocking support, by changing the principle of the transfer of tension from strap 26 to stocking S. When band B is inserted in stocking S in the manner described, band B acts substantially as a hoop. The tension exerted along supporting straps 26 is distributed around band B and is therefore distributed substantially evenly around the entire circumference of stocking S. As a result, less tension is exerted upwardly along straps 26 in holding up stocking S and less tension is exerted downwardly on girdle G by straps 26. Fold-line l2 retains a substantially circular appearance with no points of pronounced elevation or sag.

It is apparent that a considerable number of modifications can be made in the construction and mode of securing of band B, still retaining the hoop-like effect. In my preferred construction, the purpose of strap I8 is to hold band B sufficiently closely around the leg 'of the wearer so that, the holdin effect of leg portion It being taken into consideration, band B does not buckle when tension is exerted thereon along straps 26. Strap I8 is elastic so that it may be extended when the wearer sits down and enlarges the upper part of the leg. In this construction, band B does not grip the leg tightly, and there is no garter action.

Band B, as above noted, is preferably made of a material which is flexible and relatively inextensible and incompressible. An example is aluminum or another metal, which in the form of band B is sufficiently flexible to be inserted inpocket P. When upward tension is exerted on a band B made of such material, there is little tendency to buckle and little tendency for edge 16 to be raised at the points of support and to sag at other points.

Because of the support given to band B by the leg of the wearer and by the material of pocket P, band B may be made of plastics and other materials besides metal. I have preferred to construct band B from fairly thick commercial vinylite sheeting, which is sufliciently strong for this purpose. I can also use Celluloid, semi-hard rubber, leather and other materials.

It is to be understood that the manner of attaching band B may be varied, so long as the hoop-like action is substantially retained. Band B maybe permanently secured in pocket P. Band B may be secured to the outside of stocking S. Band B may be secured above leg portion In (in other words, band B may serve as the upper part of stocking S). Strap l8 may be omitted or inelastic. Band B may be broken at a point intermediate its ends, and the broken ends joined by a further connecting strap.

Band B must also be made of a material, such as those listed above, which is adapted to be provided with a plurality of holes 2| in which relatively rigid buttons 22 may be respectively releasably inserted. Buttons 22 are circumferentially and vertically adjustable, and this eliminates the drawbacks of prior constructions in' which buttons were permanently affixed to the stocking durin manufacture.

It is to be noted that my invention makes it not only desirable, but preferable, to attach buttons 22 to band B. If the conventional construc-* tion were followed, in which the male button is attached by an auxiliary strap to the supporting strap, then the male button would be pressed against the inside of stocking S, through hole 2| of band B and through the opening of member 26. As a result, much of the suspension efiect of band. B would be lost, and the material of stocking S would be subject to increased risk of tearing.

Figs. 5-7 show an improvement in girdle design which is useful in itself and also in conjunction with the use of band B. In this improvement, a substantially T-shaped insert 30 is provided for use with each supporting strap 26. This insert 30 has a cross-arm which is fastened to the base of girdle G by stitching 3| of any convenient pattern and. type; or by other suitable.

means. Arm 32. depends from and is preferably integral withithe cross-arm of insert 30. The upper part of strap 26 isalinedwith'arm t2 and is fastened thereto by means of stitching 33 of any convenient pattern and type, or by other suitable means.

Insert 30 is made of a flexible but relatively incompressible. and non-stretchable. material, such" as vinylite sheeting. Inserts 30" serve to strengthen the respective connections between straps 2 6 andgirdleG. Also, inserts 361distribute the tension exerted by'respective straps 26 on girdle G. This has'many of. the same desirableeiiects' as the use ofbancl B in conjunction with stocking S. There is lesstendency for straps 26 to tear away from girdle G. To'the' extent that stockings S, straps 25 and. girdlenG serve as a system for pulling girdle G downwardly, the use of inserts 30 decreases the tension that need be exerted along straps 25.

I have disclosed preferred embodiments of my invention, and I have indicated certain modifi cations, additions and omissions which maybe made therein. Various other'modifications, ad ditions and omissions may be made in myinven-- tion Without'departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting stockings in connection with suspended spaced supporting means and hose fasteners comprising a stocking hemmed at its top to form an annular pocket having a closed upper end, a band positioned. in said pocket and'adapted to form a hoop-like ele ment therein, said bandbeing integral and having a length less than the peripheral length of the top of the pocket but greater than the included distance of the'spaced supporting means,

saidband being of material width uniform from' 4 end to end and being bendable-about its trans- 2. An asscmebly as'inrciaim 1' characterized in that the'integral portion of'the band is'iprovidedt with a plurality of spaced:openings'arranged'in the top andbottom portions or the tbandiand'. in spaced relation intheadirectionof lengthier the band and said. band: carrying supporting means comprise anchor buttons selectively positioned in saidi openings.

3. An assembly as? in clai'mi charaeterized in that'the integralpo'rtion of the. bandflis formed of ar vinylite plastic.

BARNETT BINK'OWITZ.

-Beferences. Gited in-the file of thispatent' UNITE-D STATES PATENTS Number Name Date,

713,184 Warner Nov. 11,1902 1,061,215 Bergmann" May 6,1913 1,082,005 Bellis Dee. 23', 19 13 507,415 Oliver Sept. 2 1924: 1,766,604 Co'chen June":24s; .1930 1,779,200 Wangenlh'eim' Oct; 21, 1930 1,920,943 Thompson Aug. 1, 1933 2,505,242 Herbe'ner' Apr. 25*, 1 950 

